CUSTODY. THEIR NEXT COURT APPEARANCE IS SEPTEMBER 11-TH. LOTS OF BIG NAMES WITH A SIMPLE MESSAGE ... SHOW UP FOR CLASS. MAYOR SLY JAMES GATHERED TOGETHER SEVERAL LOCAL CELEBRITIES TO TALK ABOUT LOCAL SCHOOLS STRUGGLING TO GET AT-RISK KIDS TO ATTEND SCHOOL. KMBC-9'S CLIFF JUDY IS LIVE WITH ONE CHILD'S TURNAROUND. LEN, IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT THE MAYOR HOPED BIG NAMES REPEATEDLY SAYING GET TO CLASS WOULD GET THROUGH TO LOCAL CHILDREN. BUT THE BIGGEST IMPACT MAY HAVE COME FROM ONE OF THE SMALLEST PEOPLE IN THE ROOM. TUESDAY'S PRESS CONFERENCE HAD ALL THE MAKINGS OF AN ANNOUNCEMENT WITH SO MANY PEOPLE SHOWING UP. LOTS OF GLAD-HANDING BY THE HOST... EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE ROOM'S NAME ANNOUNCED AT SOME POINT... AND EVEN AN AWKWARD MOMENT. 00:19:30 "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ARIANA. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!" KIDDING ASIDE, THE GIRL EVERYONE SANG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO PROVED THEIR POINT. IN A ROOM FULL OF ADULTS...ARIANA GASCA STOLE THE SHOW. 00:19:49 "SUCCESS COURT HAS MADE ME INTO A BETTER PERSON." 00:27:34 "I WAS REALLY CHECKING OUT A LOT, AND I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO DO MY WORK. I WAS REALLY LACKING IN EDUCATION. I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING." AN EIGHTH GRADER AT NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL...GASCA SAYS A NEWLY-FORMED TRUANCY COURT HOOKED HER UP WITH TUTORS AND CHANGED HER LIFE. D'S AND F'S TURNED INTO A'S, B'S, AND C'S JUST SINCE JANUARY. MAYOR SLY JAMES ORGANIZED TUESDAY'S PRESSER TO ENCOURAGE MORE KIDS LIKE GASCA TO ATTEND SCHOOL REGULARLY. 00:28:49 "YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR DREAMS INTO SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO BECOME. FOR STUDENTS OUT THERE THAT ARE DOING REALLY BAD, THEY'RE ACTUALLY MISSING OUT ON A LOT." IN A ROOM WITH BIG NAMES LIKE GEORGE BRETT AND TECH N9NE... AND EVEN THE LOCAL MASCOTS... A CHILD'S SUCCESS STORY MAKES SHOWING UP WORTH IT. GASCA SAYS SOMEDAY SHE WANTS TO WORK FOR THE CIA. SHE AND HER TUTORS WERE TRYING TO WORK OUT A VISIT TO UMKC'S LAW SCHOOL THIS AFTERNOON... A DREAM SHE NEVER WOULD'VE EVEN CONSIDERED LESS THAN A YEAR AGO. CLIFF JUDY, KMBC 9 NEWS AN EDUCATION OFFICIAL AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE SAID FOR EVERY DAY A